


Roles in Friendship

by Megane



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action, Battle, Character Study, Compromise, Endangerment, Flashbacks, Male Friendship, Minor Character(s), Near Death Experiences, Original Character(s), POV Multiple, Royalty, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-19 14:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3614007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They have been groomed to protect Noctis – to help him grow – but at the end of the day, they're still his friends. But habits, both professional and personal, die hard and intermingle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Parts of the Machine

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collective character study based on all four of them. This is based on a theory I have about how they all flow together and individually. Written from what I've seen in trailers, Episode Duscae, and in some writings. I have little back information outside of this and no help from the Wiki.

Gloved fingers raised and lifted up wire framed glasses. The male was tall, about 5'11. He held a matte black dossier against his hip. The tails of his coat waved as he walked. The material of his clothing looked heavy but breathed wonderfully – which was an up for a council that wore primarily dark colours and shades. Voices sounded behind him as scholars emptied out into the hall. Hurried footsteps sounded closer than the voices. He turned even before he heard the voice.

          "Scientia!"

          "Ah. Royale, isn't it?"

          "Aye, sir."

The young man slowed his steps to a wide, dramatic jog. He had layered, sweeping red hair, a bashful smile, and an unsightly scar from his right cheek to the corner of his lip. Ignis had learned long ago not to stare at it, out of politeness, but by now, he was fascinated by its untold story. "Royale" was but a small bite of a much heftier name. In full, he was Avani Fantosme Ultimo - Famille de Royale. His family had a presence and a title that held true weight, but for reasons outside of many's understanding, they rarely - if ever - used their influences. In their younger days, Ignis was immediately humbled by Royale and treated the boy as he would any other noble. At that time, Ignis was being groomed to handle his betters with dignity and polish. He was learning to carry himself and how to meet the gaze of the affluent with a steady yet meek gaze. It was training that went unused, however, in Royale's presence as the boy was a reader – a boy of the pages. His wasn't a name to be feared or bowed to. So today, like many days after that time, the taller male stood tall and welcome in his equal's being there. Unlike Ignis, Royale wore lighter garments of gold, off-white, and pale cream. He was a scholarly advisor, a scribe, a messenger. He bowed to Ignis, who returned it with the same depth and slowness. They stood up straight and met eyes once again. 

          "The prince has called for you."

          "For me?"

          Royale nodded, "I happened to be in the area, and he asked I bring you to him without haste."

          Ignis cocked up a brow, repeating, "'Without haste'?"

          "A-actually, he said, ah..." Royale dared a couple of steps closer. He pressed his finger tips against his chin. His tone lowered, almost secretively. "And I quote: 'Where's Ignis?' And after my response, he followed with – again, quoting him: 'Well. Tell him to get his ass over here.'"

The brunet couldn't help but chuckle at that. Royale flashed a brighter smile, taking a few steps back, giving the other male some room.

          "Well, I had best go to him then."

          Royale nodded. "You'd best. Ah..."

The two males looked to the folder, and the redhead slid closer once again, reaching out to take it.

          "If you're off to do  _that_ , allow me to finish this for you."

          "Take this to the council hall. Ask for Magister Fintnz, and he'll direct these to the proper hands and eyes."

          "Gladly."

Ignis handed over the dossier, letting his eyes linger on it. The exchange itself came with ease, as Royale was trustworthy for in all that he had known the male. But it was just... It was his task. It had been somewhat assigned to Ignis and expected to be finished by him. It was a trivial matter, attending to the prince, but still. Perhaps it was better to listen to Noctis instead of the dry harrumphs that awaited him on the other side of gilded doors. He bowed again, this time shallowly, to Royale and headed back the way they came. His walk to Noctis was easy and well-memorised. When he opened the doors to the prince's chamber, Noctis turned with a bored expression, placing a hand on his waist.

          "Where were you?" the shorter male asked, a bit curiously though his voice was as dry as a triscuit.

          "Running an errand when I was stopped by Royale."

          "Good," Noctis replied, crossing his arms over his chest, smiling a bit. "We're going."

          "Pardon?"

          "You, me, Gladio, Prompto — we're going."

          "And, ah...  _where_ are we going, Highness?"

          "For a ride around the city. Something. I just..." Noctis reached up a hand and shook his head with a deep sigh. "I  _gotta_ get outta here."

          "We'll there's no point for me to go like this." Ignis motioned to his garments. "I'll change, gather the others, and—"

          " _I'll_ get the others," Noctis corrected, lowering his head down. He sighed through his nose. "You do too much. Just get changed and we'll meet you outside."

          "As you wish, your Highness."

Noctis groaned and passed by his advisor. He reached up and pat Ignis on the chest before giving him a playful shove. The bespectacled male stammered, and the shorter brunet smiled to himself. Noctis left the door open when he left. Ignis adjusted his glasses and excited out of the room a few seconds after. Well, he had better get changed then.

 

          "Ig! Over here!"

The voice carried all the way up to him. Ignis turned his head ever so slightly to the right, and he saw them waiting. Prompto was sitting on the trunk of the car, waving his arms to grab Ignis' attention. Gladio was in the back, arms resting on the tops of the seat. He looked rather relaxed, and why wouldn't he? It was a nice day out. Ignis' gaze lifted as he stared up towards the sky. The clouds were fat and spotted the open blue. A couple of airships were sailing far above, heading to who knows where. Ignis' body jostled with each bouncing step he took down the stairs. He reached up a rather gaudy glove and adjusted his frames again. Noctis pushed his hips backwards, moving away from the car. He uncrossed his arms and took a few steps. Ignis stepped on the ground level and headed towards the group. Prompto's little laugh was welcoming.

          "You're late," Noctis greeted, lifting up his brows as he stared up at Ignis.

          "I wasn't quite sure what to wear for this... little excursion," the brunet replied, clasping his hands together and looking to his friends in turn.

Noctis 'hmph'ed and gave Ignis a once over. His eyes lingered on the shoes.

          "Well, should be good enough."

          Gladio gave Ignis an up-down as well. "Leave it to Ig to be Prince Charming." He gave Noctis an upnod. "'ey. You might wanna learn a thing or two."

          "Excuse me?" The prince turned around, brows lifting slightly.

Gladiolus chuckled, fingers curling slightly. Prompto gasped and turned quickly, reaching his gangly body over the seats.

          "Ooh! Ooh! Shotgun!" he shouted, clambering into the front.

          "I ain't movin'," the more muscled brunet responded, hands lifting just barely.

          "Ah... Damn..." Noctis muttered, a bit too slow to stop the blond.

          "Y'know, you have an easy way to call dibs," Gladio hinted.

          Prompto turned and pouted at Gladio. "Oh c'mon. That's not fair." He then trained his pout on Noctis.

          "Whatever," the young royal muttered, pulling open the back door.

Ignis stood off to the side, just watching this happen. He wasn't sure if they knew where they were going or if they were just going with the flow. Regardless, he had to extend his hand as the responsible one. He had to voice a levelheaded contrary, especially considering there was a high chance the others hadn't.

          "Highness. This is rather unorthodox. We'll just be driving... essentially nowhere."

          "Yeah, but. That'll be fun, right?"

Ignis didn't feel too reassured by the idea of random fun. His mind was stacked with things to do, names to call on. Even if he could be replaced by someone else, Ignis felt better fulfilling those responsibilities himself. Noctis knew that the advisor was thinking, perhaps a bit too much, so he leaned closer and folded his arms over the door.

          "Listen. We don't get out a lot, especially these days. So many upturned stuck-ups've been wandering around for days now. I'm not sure what's going on - not with any detail - and frankly, I don't want to get caught up in it." Noctis stared up at Ignis, who slowly mentally reentered the conversation. "Besides, if I'm going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere or wandering crown city, I'd rather it be with you three."

Satisfied with that much, Noctis leaned back into the seat. Ignis mulled over the words and let it fill his mind, slowly pushing out the list of 'this and that's. Noctis flicked up his head again, staring up at the male _still_ standing outside of the car.

          "You coming...?"

          Ignis pushed up his glasses and sighed through his nose. "I suppose someone has to drive."

          "Who do you think brought out the car?" Prompto prompted, placing his hands behind his head.

Ignis paused and then looked to Gladio, who closed his eyes and turned his head away. Noctis couldn't drive – or at least not well.

          "You'll be my backup," Ignis stated finally to Prompto, pulling open the driver door.

          "Allllright!" The blond rubbed his hands together.

The door closed; the engine cranked. The car rumbled with the initial start and purred magnificently. Ignis stroked his right hand down the curve of the steering wheel and then adjusted himself.

          "Alright, gents," Ignis started. Everyone sat up at attention. "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dammit, I did it again. This wasn't meant to be chaptered, but it wouldn't.... flow right otherwise. You know? Augh, you don't know.
> 
> Do you like Royale's full name? I sure do~ Sorry his description ended up being so long, but I kinda got attached to the kid. Finally got to use "Prompto prompted"; it was bugging my brain, and I'm very happy with it.


	2. The Prince, The Boy, The Machine

Noctis was, first and foremost, a prince, even though he didn't act like it. With the way he dressed and carried himself, no one looking at him could tell that he carried such a prestigious name. But well and truly, he did. The power he held within his gaunt body was unparalleled, was signature, and was appropriately telling of all that he was not. Noctis Lucis Caelum: son, prince, and amateur fighter. He was bred for a life in the crown city, not in the battlefield.

But some things never worked out like they should. 

\----

Noctis yawned and stretched his arms up towards the sky. For once, he was the first and only person awake. His body felt a bit stiff. They had to sleep in the car overnight. They were just lucky that it didn't rain or that they weren't attacked, but he didn't think about that. Noctis glanced to his friends and observed them. Prompto made soft noises when he slept; Gladio's breathing was audible but not annoying; and Ignis was, well, silent. Typically so. Noctis was a bit disappointed. He hoped the advisor snored even a  _little_  bit, but of course, the man was just as put together as he appeared. The prince turned towards the passenger door and opened it, not wanting to climb over — not having the energy. He stepped out and leaned against the door to close it. The car rocked slightly, but none of them woke up. Ignis' head swayed in his sleep as though disagreeing with some dream person. He even pushed up his glasses(!) and muttered something before falling still again. Noctis lurched with a laugh he thankfully kept silent and brought a hand over his mouth. Okay, that made up for not snoring.

From the car, he walked straight ahead, wanting to keep the vehicle in view whenever he cast a glance over his shoulder.

He felt like a kid again. He wanted to explore and check out the world on his own. Once he was a distance away, the prince looked over his shoulder towards the vehicle. His friends were still asleep and reasonably so. They had been driving for two days straight, heading to the next petrol station. Ignis was probably the worst off, hardly getting a chance to stretch his legs – always on the look out to make sure they could get away. Noctis sighed hard through his nose and shook his head. The idiot worked too hard, worried too much, even this far away from the crown city. A tree rustled in the slight breeze as Noctis made his way towards it. He placed his gloved against its bark, squinting at the overlapping rock formations ahead of him. He was unable to see past them. He tilted his head up and assessed the tree. It seemed steady enough to hold his weight, and well. There was only one way to find out.

He jumped up to grab the lowest branch and huffed. The branch bounced a bit, shaking some leaves free. It held him dutifully and allowed him to climb up. Noctis secured his feet against the bark and scaled the branch. He extended his body along it and held still for a minute. Shit, it had been a while since he had properly climbed a tree. H-how did this go again? It took some doing, but he managed to pull himself up onto the first branch. When he managed to stand tall on it, the upward climb was much easier. He huffed through his nose and stared out to the distance. It was pretty as he had come to expect from travelling these vast plains. Horned creatures strode confidently in the early morning. A baby one stopped to lean down towards the grass. It lifted up abruptly, shook, and then kicked out its back legs. The larger creature rounded the smaller and leaned its head down, nudging the baby in its rear. The little one calmed with a noisy little screech and trotted forward. Its guardian lifted its head slowly and followed after with the same unhurried grace.

Noctis watched and brought his gaze up once again. What was that, just past the horned things? A cave? Probably. It didn't seem too dangerous, but that was just looking from the outside. He held his position for a while, looking around at the scenery. He turned around carefully, eyes flicking up to the top of the tree. There were a few more branches, but nothing he could climb. He stared out towards the car. The plains on the other side had about the same amount of trees and rocks. From his position, though, he could tell that there was a deep depression in the land. The Sun mostly blinded him, but from what he could see, the dip was pretty massive. It stretched towards the horizon, and his sight of it was obscured.

He heard a noise, and his gaze lowered. Prompto was stretching his freckled arms out. Gladio was rubbing his face. Ignis pulled his glasses off and stifled a yawn into his palm. Noctis began his descent downward, carefully making sure he had his footing. He jumped backwards and grabbed the branch under him. He took a few leisurely swings before letting go. He sailed for a bit, and his feet hit the ground. To reduce the shock, he fell into a roll. The tremor dispersed through his body and was gone by the time he stood up.

From some reason, that triggered a memory buried deep in his mind.

 

           _"You're going to have to be careful, my boy,"_ Regis had said to him. 

          A young Noctis stared up at his father, hopping to take a few steps in front of him. _"Aaaw, why?"_

 _"Because,"_ the King started, voice thoughtful and slow.

They stopped, and Noctis walked backwards, keeping his eyes on his dad. When he stopped, Regis brought a hand to his chin. He turned his body left and right, making sure they're alone.

           _"You're surrounded by leagues of old farts,"_ he muttered secretively, tone dropped to match the mood.

Noctis brought his small hands up, covering his mouth with both hands. He giggled. Regis brought a finger up, shushing his son though he too was smiling.

           _"If you so much as get a splinter, your watchers will never let me hear the end of it. 'Sire! The young lord has a splinter in his finger.' ''_ Sire!' _"_ He added with more distress.

Noctis was trying his hardest not to laugh at his father's dramatics.

           _"'The young lord has jumped o'er my head into the next_ kingdom!  _He was jumping from trees; I had little way to stop him.'"_ _  
_

The little brunet, at this point, dropped his hands and scrunched up his nose, erupting into a fit of church giggles. His father joined him with a rolling chuckle that shook his shoulders. A scholar opened the door quietly and closed it with the same care. Her head turned quickly at the sound of laughter, relaxing when she saw the King and his son. She bowed her head and greeted them with a whisper. She raised up a finger as she hurried away from the door, a thick book close to her chest. The two royals nodded and shared a look, smiling at each other. Regis tipped his head forward, silently signalling for his son to follow.

 

Noctis jogged forward and placed his hand on the back door where he was sitting. Everyone looked up at him when he arrived, surprised at two things. One, that he was awake, and two, that they hadn't noticed until now. Prompto muttered something, probably "Morning", but he was cut off by a big yawn. Ignis opened his driver door and stepped out the car. Gladio did the same, groaning as he stood straight up.

          "Rise and shine," Noctis began, gaze flicking to all of them. "C'mon. Got something to show ya."


	3. The Gunner, The Laughter, The Spring

Prompto reached up and immediately placed his hand on Noctis' head. The black tresses were light under his touch, almost silky. He made a soft noise of awe as he ran his fingers through Noctis' hair. The prince grimaced and smacked Promto's hand away. The blond jolted.

          "Whoops, sorry, Noct! I didn't expect your hair to be so soft."

          "And why not?" Noctis countered, looking over his shoulder to Prompto as they walked.

          "Er, ah. Well..." A nervous laugh. "You know."

          "Hmmm, no. I don't."

          Gladio came to the smaller's rescue. "Hey, Noct. Leave the kid alone."

          "Yeah, yeah," the prince grumbled, facing forward again.

Ignis hid his smile as he pushed up his glasses. Prompto sighed softly and kept in pace with the others. The cave Noctis wanted to explore was easy to get to.

          "Think the car's going to be okay?" the blond asked, glancing backwards.

          "We should be fine," Ignis reported. "His Highness found a worthy hiding spot, but if anyone were to look, I'm sure it would be easily found. We shouldn't dawdle."

          "Roger that," stated Noctis, already following the guiding circle of his pocket light.

Prompto was in close pursuit followed by the muscle and the brains of their operation. The blond was thankful that the cave was a bit dark but not wet. As far as he could tell, there were no snakes. He was thankful about that as well. The cave was structured more like a tunnel. It was dark with mostly a singular path forward. At one point, the roof lifted. Bits of rock fell from above. Ignis pulled his light out of his breast pocket. He flashed it upward. There was a dome-like indentation in the ceiling. It had a visible crack with miniature fissures branching from it. The advisor hummed.

          "Nothing too major," he stated, placing his light in its proper place. "We can continue onward."

          "Sounds good."

They continued forward until the path emptied them out. The other side of the "tunnel" was well lit with a bluish-white light. A large blue, almost crystalline stalagmite cluster rose from the ground in the center. Some of the formations were a golden-brown colour, tufts of grass grew between them. The walkway around the fixture was thin and of unsure composition. Prompto placed a hand on Noctis' shoulder and smiled up at him.

          "Alloooow me~" he sang, stepping in front of the raspy voice royal.

The blond lowered his gaze to the ground as his hand fell away. There were no visible cracks. He leaned to the side to make sure he couldn't see any. Hmm, there were a few sparse cracks here and there. They were formed from baby stalagmites that were trying to grow. Vines curled up from the splintered stone. Prompto felt more secure in walking forward. He turned to his friends, slightly bent over.

          "Alright, gents," he stated, mimicking a tour guide's cheer, "if you'll just follow me to the other side, that'd be great."

          "Tone it down, Sunshine," Gladio teased, walking behind Noctis. 

Prompto hummed to himself and straightened up, dutifully leading the way as he had intended. He paused the group when he heard something rustle. He checked his footing, making sure the walkway was still stable. He blinked up to the opening in the ceiling, watching the bits of dust dance in its light. He chalked it up to more falling stone and continued on. He held point even as they settled on wider land. There was the sound of trickling water, and Prompto perked up at the sound of it.

          "Did'ya hear that?" he asked, looking back to the others. "Water! This way!"

He heard Gladio (or Noctis - one of those gravelly voices) remark on his hearing. He took it as a good thing. After all, where would they be without it? The trickling became louder and led them to a small little oasis. The water flowed down the wall, over the walkway, and into a half circle of water. The other half was blocked off by rubble and overgrown shrubbery. Vines and moss crawled up the wall and through another opening that led the water somewhere outside. Prompto squatted down. The others walked closer to the edge. It wasn't too far down, but it definitely wouldn't be smart to just jump down there. Even if they could.

          "Wanna go?" he asked, bringing his head up to the trio.

Ignis and Gladio looked at him and then took a step back, thinking on it. Noctis crossed his arms, keeping his eyes on the rippling water below.

          "Sure. We're exploring, right?"

          "Then, I'll go." Prompto leaned forward, rocking onto his toes.

          Noctis blinked, for some reason not expecting that answer. "Hey..."

          "Relax. I've got a weapon on me," the blond reassured. His left hand curled over the edge. He made the shape of a gun with his right hand. "And you guys can see me, so like. No problem, right?"

He didn't get an answer and didn't need one. He double checked to make sure he had a proper grip and slid from the edge. He hooked his fingers into a recess with a small grunt. It took a moment for him to adjust his body, but he eventually got it. There was some discomfort on the way down, but nothing he hadn't felt before. When he finally made touch down, his boots splashed in the shallow water. He moved over to the rubble and climbed up, wanting to keep himself out of the water. He dusted his hands and smiled down. The water was dark but rippled from the steady flow coming from the ceiling. He adjusted his footing again, peering off to his right towards the open cavern mouth. There was a whole lot more water that way with the Sun shining down in the distance past the low ceiling. He made a noise of awe, leaning forward to get a better look.

Without thinking better of it.

He fell in.

          "Prom!" "Prompto!"

The blond sputtered and lifted himself out of the shallow water. He hit his leg on the rubble, but again, it didn't hurt. He blinked the water out of his eyes, shaking his head and flicking water everywhere.

          "Aaaah," he groaned, eyes closing. "It's cold!"

He heard scoffs mixed with laughs above him. He stood up. The water came up to his mid-calf. He waved the others down. "It's fine!" he stated. "You can come down." He looked up at the wall he scaled and then to the left. There were a few places that seemed safe to descend. He pointed them out, and the others followed his instructions. Prompto breathed out of his nose.

 

Thick soled shoes kicked at the dirt. A black haired boy followed a sizable rock across the ground. His steps hurried after it. A blond was swinging his legs in the trees, keeping a lookout. His rounded eyes stared at the adults just ahead. He pushed out of the tree and landed heavily. He dusted his hands off. Noctis abandoned the rock.

 _"Here's something smaller,"_ young Prompto had said, pulling a smooth stone from his pocket. It was enough to fill the dent in their palm. He turned and pointed off to the right.  _"Get that guy over there."_

 _"You sure?"_ A young Noctis replied, bringing his attention up from the stone to the guard.

 _"It'll improve your aim. I'm tellin' ya!"_  The little blond beamed and turned back.

           _"Alright..."_  The small raven haired boy sounded unsure, but he cocked his arm back anyway. _  
_

Prompto moved over, placing his hands on Noctis' shoulders. He held his breath, lips forming an 'o' shape. Noctis hesitated before jerking forward. He snapped his arm downward suddenly, and the stone flew, spinning wildly as it did. It hit the guard's transport before bouncing back to hit him in the shoulder. At the first hit, the boys recoiled, letting out a stunted laugh. Noctis brought a hand to his mouth. Prompto lowered his head to his friend's shoulder. When the rock bounced back, they ran back the way they came, making sure to keep their bodies low. The blond easily overtook the prince and led the way.

           _"Follow me!"_  Prompto whispered, trying to hold back his giddiness.

The two young boys ran back towards the gated wall. Prompto stood up straight and cast a quick glance back. He grabbed Noctis' hand, pulling him forward faster. He let the prince go through the gap first and peered over his shoulder, seeing the guards behind them were looking around. If any one of them used their scopes now, they'd probably see him. Prompto followed Noctis seconds after. His friend rapidly hit his chest when he emerged on the other side.

           _"We're going to get caught!"_ Noctis whispered, facing him again.

          Prompto knew just where to go.  _"Stay with me. I'll get you outta here."_

Noctis nodded his head. The look on his face betrayed how he found this whole thing exciting. For extra measure though, he grabbed onto the back of Prompto's oversized grey plaid shirt. The blond looked back suddenly but smiled when he saw what his friend was doing. They kept out of sight as they crouched behind patrol vehicles. Prompto resisted the urge to stroke an armoured chocobo. Even though it probably wasn't theirs. He  _probably_ wasn't going to see it again. The young male sighed and pressed his lips together. Someday, he would pet one. He sighed wistfully and pulled the little prince along. The castle quarter was just across the way. He could see the square fountain perfectly.

           _"You're gonna have to run for it,"_ he stated.

 _"What about you?"_  Noctis whispered, hands lowered to the ground to hold his weight.

Prompto quickly wracked his brain before coming up with a solution.

_"I got it! Just go."_

_"Prompto...."_

_"Seriously, go. D'ya wanna get in trouble with Mr. What's His Fuss again?"_ Prompto put the back of his hands on his hips and puffed out his cheeks at 'Mr. What's-His-Fuss'.

          Noctis sighed.  _"No..."_ _  
_

_"Go. I'm behind you."_

They switched positions, and Prompto whispered the best and fastest way for Noctis to get through. The blond stood up and headed back towards the chocobo. The bird let out a happy little squeak at its new guest. The three guards nearby were alerted by the noise and spotted Prompto. Noctis weaved behind a cart and a half-wall, making his way back to the royal square.

Prompto's fingers ran over the yellow feathers of the chocobo. It had moved unsurely in place at first, not knowing if it wanted to be touched without a typical glyshal offering. But Prompto was quicker than its thoughts. The young blond sighed in content, and the chocobo trilled, soon accepting the pets for what they were.

           _"'ey there, little one. You shouldn't be botherin' him none,"_ came a drawling voice.

_"Sorry! I just really wanted to touch one."_

_"Let 'im go. Just a kid,"_ said another guard.

           _"I was'n gonna hold 'him."_ The guard tipped his head towards the castle.  _"Back inside. Isn't it time for your schooling?"_

           _"Don't tell!"_  Prompto stated, running in the direction he was guided.

He waited until the guards had began their... whatever they were doing before he finally went to join Noctis. The prince was leaning against the grey brick wall, waiting for his friend to finally reappear.

           _"Boo!"_  

          Noctis sighed in relief.  _"I thought they got you."_

 _"Didn' come all this way just to leave you at the end, loser."_ Prompto grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him away.  _"Come on! Let's go back inside_. _"_

 

Ignis raised up his arm, protecting his face from the splash of water. Prompto had navigated his way back to the wall he climbed down, fingers gripped in one of the recesses. Noctis pushed his wet hair out of his face and stared up at Ignis and Gladio. He rushed an apology before spinning to look at Prompto. He pointed at the blond.

          "You."

          "Me?" Prompto pointed at himself.

Noctis didn't respond, and Prompto wasn't expecting him to. He curled up against the wall as the prince ducked down to splash water back at his friend. Prompto shouted in broken statements. "Accident! Total accident!" "Not cool! Not—augh!" "Noct, please! Freezing here!" When the prince had had his fill, Noctis stood up again, flicking his hands out at his sides. Ignis pulled off his glasses and wiped away any water on the lens.

          "Now, you'll have to get out of here wet. The both of you."

Prompto frowned at Noctis, relaxing his posture as the prince stepped out of the water. He then looked to Ignis and Gladio. The glasses wearer very,  _very_  carefully walked along the rubble. The heel of his dress shoes made him slide, but Gladio was quick to catch him just in case. Ignis nodded his head but was otherwise outwardly unfazed by the almost fall. The blond held his breath, hoping in that split second that Ignis didn't hit his head on the gravel. He relaxed when he saw Gladio's quick reflexes. Incident avoided. Good.

Noctis and Prompto watched as the others climbed to the top again, standing together soaking wet. One had fallen in, and the other had been helped in. Noctis clapped a hand on Prompto's back. The blond returned the gesture. They leaned their heads towards each other, feeling the slight knock of each other's skulls. Once Gladio and Ignis were safely up top, the prince and gunner parted so they could properly climb the wall again and head back into the beaming sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer than I intended, but hey! It's working out.


	4. The Protector, The Heavy, The Frame

They spent a lot of time outside, waiting for the two wet idiots to dry off. Noctis and Prompto kicked off their shoes and socks. Prompto almost tripped over his own shoes, laying his socks on the trunk. Noctis did the same but was able to step over his boots without issue. Ignis was leaning against the driver door, thumbing through the GPS and examining the map. Gladio looked around, raising his hands up to shield his eyes from he blinding light. There was nothing for miles – and if there was, it was all hiding. He dropped his hands down and placed them on his hips, squinting towards the distance. He turned around and stalked over to the two shorter males. He placed his hands on Noctis and Prompto's backs, grunting softly as he lifted them up by their shirts. Appropriately enough, both of them were surprised.

          "What're you  _doing_ ," Noctis huffed, trying to shrug off Gladio.

          "Helpin' you guys dry off. Don't they hang laundry out to dry sometimes?"

          "No one's done that in ages!" Prompto whined, reaching up and holding Gladio by his wrist.

          "Aw, c'mon. I can give you a little shake."

          "You'll snap their necks," stated Ignis from the side, watching the scene with loosely folded arms.

          Gladio stared at him and replied very matter-of-factedly: "... I'll be gentle."

But despite his claims, he lowered the two to their feet again. Noctis shook out his arms, sighing in exasperation. Prompto pulled his shirt away from his body, wiggling it out to get some air flowing. Gladiolus rubbed his fingers together idly. There was a little moisture there.

          "Try not to ruin the seats," he stated to the two males when they finally grabbed their stuff and climbed into the luxury car.

Ignis smiled to himself as he turned the key in the ignition. Prompto turned back slightly and frowned at Gladio. Noctis crossed his arms, eyes closing.

          "I wouldn't have to be careful if a certain idiot didn't push me in."

          "Aw, don't say  _that_ ," Prompto began, face relaxing as he turned towards the prince. "I was just  _encouraging_ you."

Noctis didn't verbally reply. He just slowly opened his eyes and stared flatly at his friend. The blond smiled sheepishly and pointed his thumb towards the front. He muttered "I'll just ah..." and turned around. Gladio chuckled quietly and relaxed in his seat. The ride to the next town was as energetic as it usually was. They stopped at a rest stop on the way. The tattooed guard pulled himself out of the car and stretched his arms. He could hear Prompto yell about something behind him and then the gravelly deadpan of Noctis following shortly after. Ignis was talking to the rest stop attendant from the tones of his voice. And all of this left Gladio on his own to wander or lounge for a while. In spite of this freedom, he stuck close to Noctis.

"You want something?" he asked as he pulled out some loose coins from his pockets. What jackals were doing with coins and some gil he'd never know, but Gladio wasn't one to turn down free money. Noctis turned towards the heavy and just  _stared_ \- but the thoughtful raise of his brows tipped Gladio off. The prince was thinking. Prompto, bless him, was around the corner of the building exploring, so he wasn't here to help the prince brainstorm. Still, the bodyguard made a mental note to check on him. Noctis finally walked over and stood close, staring at the vending machine's offerings. The prince stood arm-to-arm with his bodyguard, regarding the showy labels with his signature dullness. He finally brought up his hand and furrowed his brows, looking troubled. Gladio chuckled.

          "Is it that difficult?"

          "Shut up; I'm thinking," Noctis muttered lowly, almost inaudibly. 

But Gladiolus had heard that phrase enough times by now to understand the prince's low mumblings.

          "Well, some of us don't want to stand around with a fistfulla change all day."

Noctis groaned lowly, squinting his eyes. His gaze was levelled on the  _Haste Maker_ , but every few seconds, he would flick down to _GoGoGOT 'EM!_ Gladiolus kept himself from smiling as he crossed his arms. The bulge of his muscles rocked Noctis ever so slightly.

           _'Leave it to a prince to be indecisive,'_  the taller male mused. He tipped his head to the left and made a curious noise.

          "Haste Maker!" Noctis huffed loudly, irritated by Gladio's audible teasings. He swatted at the heavy's arm and moved away, following after Prompto's voice.

          Gladiolus uncurled his arms and toyed with the coins in his hand. "You got it." He looked off to his left. "Hey, Ignis! You want somethin'?"

 

 

          "How come you didn't get _me_ anything?" Prompto asked, leaning his head back in his hands.

He didn't seem particularly upset. Having seen a rogue chocobo near the pit stop had placated him a great deal. Gladio was more worried about the predators the bird was going to attract, but he didn't rain on the blond's parade. The heavy hummed and reached into his pocket. The can had been resting against his thigh - a bit of an unpleasant chill, but he dealt with it.

          "Stay still," he stated, walking closer to Prompto.

The blond did as he was told with a little "uh?". He turned around, but Gladio motioned with his other hand for Prompto to face forward. Again, the shorter did as instructed. Gladio stopped behind his curious friend, who stared up at the sky with a cocked brow. He stared at the spiky fluff of blond and mulled over his options. He lifted the can and placed it down on top of the shorter male's head. He shifted his wrist to the right, adjusting the drink accordingly. He opened up his fingers and pulled his hand away a bit. He kept a watch on the can, but once he felt it was safe, he walked around Prompto completely.

          "Hope you like the fizz, Prom."

          Prompto grinned and reached up, pulling the can down from his head. "Thanks, Gladio!"

Gladio walked over to Ignis; their responsible driver pulled the trunk door closed and was staring down thoughtfully at it. Without thinking, he reached up and started kneading his shoulder. Gladio turned easily on his heels and leaned against the trunk. He took a sip of his drink. 

          "You feelin' alright?"

          "Hm? Yes." Ignis pushed up his glasses, distracting himself from his shoulder. "I was just making sure we had everything we needed."

          "Mhm..." Gladio gave Ignis an imperceptible once over and looked towards the prince and the gunner. "How much longer 'til the next town?"

          "I asked the attendant. Eight hours at least. The petrol station is just one."

          "He know how to get there?"

          "Who?"

Gladiolus tipped his head towards Prompto. Ignis turned his body slightly, following the indication. He pressed his lips together momentarily.

          "To the station? No, but to the town, I believe he was attentive enough."

          "Alright then." Gladio took a hard drink from the can, back arching as he did. He crunched the can in his hand. "You guys're switching at the gas station then."

          "Pardon?" Ignis blinked up at the bodyguard.

          "You heard me." The brunet smirked. "You and Prompto are switching. He can drive – I've seen him, and he can drive  _well_ when you let 'im. Besides." He poked Ignis in the shoulder with his index finger, crushed can held securely with the other fingers. "You need to stretch out a bit."

Ignis kept his eyes focused on Gladiolus but sighed, resigning to the other male's suggestion. Gladio knew his friend wasn't prideful enough to endanger his health just to make sure they made it to the next town "on time". There was no schedule for anything with the way things were now. They could take all the time they wanted, because of that, it was important they didn't push themselves. Ignis, specifically, was inclusive to that rule. He lowered his hand and watched as Ignis turned properly to face the others. The advisor leaned back against the trunk as well.

          "You  _do_ know what this means though, yes?"

          Gladio sighed. "Yeah, I know."

          Ignis motioned his hand toward Gladio, palm flat and facing skyward. "Shall you do the honours?"

          The heavy placed his can in Ignis' open hand. "Don't mind if I do."

The bespectacled male stared down at the can, a bit dumbfounded. Gladiolus pushed down his amusement, keeping up his passive façade. He clapped his hands together and approached Prompto and Noctis.

          "Alright you two. Got some news for ya."

          "What's up," Noctis asked, a hand stuffed in his pocket.

          Gladiolus pointed to the blond. "You're driving."

          _"WHAT!? SERIOUSLY?!"_ Prompto's smile was bright, his cheeks slightly dimpled in his excitement.

          The bodyguard placed his hands on his hips, looking to Noctis. "And you're sitting shotgun. Ig's gonna be in the back with me."

Noctis wasn't as openly excited as his friend was. His reaction was unveiled much more methodically. His eyes widened slightly; his lips parted the same measure. The expression cooled down from its silent happiness to something more cocky and cool (or what Noctis dubbed as cool). He smiled deviously and tipped his head away, finger tapping on his can.

          "Well, alright~" he stated melodically.

Gladio moved forward between the two and spun around, clapping his hands down on their shoulders. His hands easily cupped the boys' joints and gave them a pointed squeeze. He leaned down slightly, glancing up towards the advisor.

          "Don't cause trouble for him - either of you. Get the car to the city in one piece, and we'll all be peachy."

          "I'm driving now? Tell me I'm driving now," Prompto babbled, voice trembling with the excitement he fought to keep under control.

          "After we fill up. You and Ignis are switching then." Gladio dropped his hands, standing up smoothly.

          The blond cleared his throat. "Right, right. Of course."

The prince and his gunner walked away from the heavy. Prompto slid closer to his friend, looking over to Noctis with an unrestrained grin. Gladio's posture straightened as he watched them. He reached up a hand and sighed, cupping the back of his inked neck. Ignis gave the duo a nod as they passed by and watched over his shoulder as they climbed into the car. He brought his gaze up to Gladiolus as he approached. 

          "Shall we then?"

          "Let's hit the road."

Ignis nodded and stood up. He took the heavy's left hand and deposited the can back into it. He pushed up his glasses, gave a shallow bow, and headed to the driver's side. Gladiolus stared at the crushed junk in his palm and let out a short laugh.

 

As planned, Prompto switched with Ignis once the tank was topped off, and Noctis took Prompto's place in the passenger's seat. The prince slapped his hand against the door when he closed it. The blond let out an excited whoop once he was belted in. Ignis stared at the two and then up to Gladio who just shrugged and smiled. It would be alright, he was sure. 

Once they were on the road again, the trip was much livelier. Prompto regaled in old stories, some embarrassing to Noctis. The prince brought his hand up to push the blond but immediately refrained. He hesitated for a moment before coming to a conclusion. He curled up his fist and punched Prompto in the thigh. Hard. The heavy threw his head back and laughed at the blond's whine. Poor Prompto. The prince had one helluva swing. Ignis was unresponsive to the event. He was comfortable in his position and seemed to be enjoying the ride laying across the back seat. He propped his feet very carefully set across Gladiolus' legs and leaned back against the back passenger door. His hands were neatly folded over lap. Sometimes, his eyes were closed; other times, he stared out at the scenery with barely opened eyes. Gladio was just happy that the advisor was taking it easy.

When _it_  happened, Gladio was thankful that Ignis was sitting up properly.

Four hours later, the Sun was leaning a bit in the sky. From what Gladio could tell, it was past lunchtime. He couldn't tell exactly by how much. He'd have to borrow the phone when he got a chance. His gaze flicked up to Noctis. The prince was pointing out something and, at Prompto's next cue, moved his hand towards something new. Gladio wasn't truly interested in what in their game was. He looked over to Prompto. The blond glanced over to Noctis quickly, smiling. "That's right!" he said, laughing again. His freckles were really showing in this lighting. Gladio still found it amazing that the kid didn't burn as easily as he complained. Finally, he checked up on Ignis. The advisor had his hands in his lap and was staring out to the landscape to his right. His feet were set on the floor of the car, spread just enough to keep himself comfortable. He didn't seem to be asleep, but he was almost frozen in his state. Like a polite statue.

Gladio brought his head up and stopped. Prompto was focused on the road. Noctis was playing their game. Ignis was probably lost in his own analytical world. The creature was to their right, up in Prompto's blind spot. It was charging straight for them, and _shit,_ it was fast. Gladio leaned forward and grabbed Noctis' seat with his left hand. He reached and held onto Ignis as well.

          "Prompto, watch out!"

His action stirred Ignis. The brunet looked to Gladio's hand. Noctis was in the middle of turning around, and Prompto sat up at attention, scanning the area frantically.

          "Huh! Huh! For wha—oh  _shit!_ _"_

He hit the brakes and turned the wheel at the same time. The creature brought down its head and focused on ramming the car. Thankfully, Prompto maneuvered correctly. The beast ran alongside the car, tusks just  _barely_ missing the exterior. Gladiolus' body jerked as the car spun out of the way. He felt Noctis' hand slap onto his. A sharp sting over the back of his hand as the prince dug his nails in. The bodyguard didn't mind at all. At least the kid was trying to hang on. Ignis' body jerked towards Gladio's, and the heavy just brought his arm around the advisor, keeping him steady.

When the car screeched to a halt, the smell of burnt rubber permeated the air. The quartet coughed. Prompto tried to unbuckle himself, but the seat belt had him locked in. He cursed. Noctis lifted his head slowly and glared at the beast. It was staring straight at their car, thick hooves scraping at the ground before it started to circle them. Without so much as a word, the prince opened the door aggressively and shut it behind him just as passionately. "Noct!" Gladio felt Ignis perk up under his arm and watched the advisor hastily pull free from his protective hold. The bespectacled male climbed over the passenger door, somehow escaping the tattooed male's grasp. _"Ignis!"_

Gladiolus stood up as well, holding the driver seat. He peered down and saw the raw, frantic upset on the blond's face. 

          "Keep the car running. Don't stay still. We'll fight it; you keep..." He trailed off. He was faced with two options: tell Prompto to stay out of the way or utilise keep him in the battle. He turned his head slightly and stared at the creature. He made up his mind. "You keep it distracted."

          "G-Gladio. Noct, he! Are you guys alright?"

          "What's the matter? Tongue tied?" Gladio joked, but he looked as worried as he felt. He ruffled Prompto's hair. "Don't get hurt."

          "Hey, wait!"

The bodyguard pressed his foot against the door and jumped. He felt the car rock under his body as he launched himself away. He rolled his left hand in a small circle and was rewarded with the familiar weight of his broadsword. He swung his body and rotated in an arc, blade slamming into the tough skin of the beast. It let out a fiendish squeal and charged forward blindly. Gladio landed and looked over his shoulder. Prompto, smartly, pulled into reverse and sped out of the way of the beast as it raced by. Gladiolus followed Ignis and Noctis ran across the street, all of their weapons at the ready. Every now and again, Gladio was reminded of Prompto's presence, the blond's concerned shouts ringing out into the air. When one of them was in a bind, there was succession of bullets firing off into their foe. Before the beast could get very far, the heavy thrust his blade into the beast's body. 

"Just do us a favour and  _die already!"_ Gladio shouted, twisting the blade deftly. His body spun with the movement, feet lifting off the ground. He pressed his feet against the beast's hide and tightened his grip on his sword hilt. With a growl, he pushed off and flipped forward. He pulled the sword over his head, creating a gory gash in their adversary's body. It was bleeding and pissed – but dying. Everything was working in their favour. The creature lost interest in Prompto. And Noctis. And Ignis. Its fiendish wrath was exclusive to Gladio. The bodyguard welcomed the obsession. He dodged out of the way, hearing the destruction of rock formations near him. The beast surprised him  _once_ in its rampage. When it had destroyed a great deal of earth and left enough fissures to create a national landmark, it started throwing things. While that was expected, it unearthed a truck.

And threw it.

Gladiolus dodged out of the way easily enough, but the panicked yelp behind him had him thinking the worst. He spun around quickly and saw everything was alright. Prompto slowly revealed himself seconds later and shouted belligerently at the beast in return. He placed his hand on his head and dropped down into the seat soon after. The bodyguard huffed out a relieved laugh in a breath. Prom sure had a mouth on him. Gladio turned and rejoined the fight. Noctis leapt up into the air, lance clenched in his fingers. Ignis was dancing away from the sluggish, powerful swipes of the tough-skinned foe. Gladiolus swung his sword at its back leg. The creature rocked to the right, letting out a pained bellow. Noctis came back down to earth, spearing through the exposed side. The beast came to its feet and gave out a dying groan. 

Then, it rocked to the left.

Noctis hit the ground with a grunt. His lance disappeared. Gladio tossed his sword backwards, rushing to his prince's side. The weapon began to dematerialise once out of its owner's grasp and mind. Without thinking, Gladio grabbed Noctis and  _threw_ the prince out of the way. He hit the ground, dodging out of the way one last time. The creature's body hit the ground with a heavy shake. The bodyguard's erratic heartbeat drowned out Prompto's excited voice. But not the words that swelled in from far away...

 

          _"You think you're so damn tough, don't you?"_

Gladiolus' brows lifted up as he turned towards the mouthy thirteen year old. Noctis Lucis Caelum was the prince, his charge, and Gladiolus Amicitia was his vassal. Typically to their nature, Noctis was a bit moody, and Gladio was a bit used to it. The taller male turned towards the teenager, lowering his sword as he did. The prince held his gaze. The bodyguard could see the thin shoulders lift slightly under the dark grey shirt. His throat rumbled with a very brief 'hm', one Noctis couldn't hear at his distance.

           _"I would think so. Otherwise, the King made a bit of a mistake."_

Noctis didn't reply. Unsurprisingly. He wasn't easily baited by Gladio's teasing. He tapped his fingers against his arm and turned his head away.

           _"Teach me something."_

_"'Scuse me, 'prince'~?"_

Noctis turned his head suddenly, glare full on equipped.  _"I said teach me something. I don't want to rely on you."_

 _"Well, you don't really have much choice in the matter,"_ Gladiolus stated, lifting his sword onto his shoulder.

          The prince dropped his arms at his side.  _"I'm not going to be weak forever. So don't get used to following me around."_

 _"My deepest, darkest secret! Revealed. Then crushed. What a prince!"_ Gladiolus exaggerated, turning his body away.

He hoisted up his sword, but the tell-tale sound of brushing clothing and boots alerted him before his peripheral did. Noctis' right arm moved first. It lifted at his side. His mouth opened. Gladio was faster to act. He twisted his body to the right and moved his left hand out. His hand collided with the prince's chest. The young brunet's eyes closed at the impact, and he took a couple of steps backwards. Gladio smirked and stood up straight, placing his sword down.

 _"Alright. Okay, I get it now."_ He pointed at Noctis.  _"Your timing sucks."_

           _"The_ hell _was that for!"_

Noctis slid a foot forward, but he didn't dare move further than that. His body was tense with action – all wound up – but he kept still. Gladio turned his head away, giving Noctis an unseen once over as he did. He lifted up his sword again, turning his body a few degrees to the left.

           _"Let's try that again. You got three hours to catch me off guard."_

           _"... You don't–"_

_"Stop chit-chattin'! Time's tickin', Noct."_

 

Gladiolus stood up and brushed his hair out of his face. He turned and saw Ignis helping Noctis stand. He smiled to himself. "Let's get you guys back to the—" The ground shifted under his foot. He lowered his gaze and stepped back. "— car..." He looked up. Ignis was checking up on Noctis, who nodded his head and then stared up at Gladio.

           _No. No. No._

          "Throwing me? Really, you couldn't have—"

          "Guys, stay back!"

It was too late. The softened earth gave way. They were standing just too close to the end of a fissure. Ignis' eyes widened, and he reached for Noctis' wrist. The bodyguard watched as Ignis tried to keep the prince for falling forward. Just as he pulled back, they both fell in. It happened so fast. Gladio lurched forward, but the ground dipped under him as well. He reacted quickly and took some distancing steps to his left and backwards. Prompto was yelling again for his friends. Gladio stared down into the earthly tear at his feet.

And he shouted too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is super long. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> There's been a lot of things going on in my head lately, so I haven't had time to update this like I wanted to. However, I hope you grab the nuance of what I was trying to do with Gladio's character. A lot of his actions/narration isn't as direct as it is with the others. I find Gladio to be the brawn but also the observer of the group. He notices things in people, as his class and life very much depend on that. He has a talent in noticing small nuances in people, though whether or not he takes that into account is a different matter entirely.
> 
> Also, in his flashback, I believe that he has always been rather informal with Noctis - so long as they're alone. Which allows Noctis to be so, hm, brash around him in return.


	5. The Advisor, The Mind, The Cog

The fall wasn't painful. The landing wasn't very painful either. Perhaps because his body was already so sore from hitting and fighting and dodging. He wasn't like Gladiolus nor was he like Prompto. Those two could move and swing — those two had energy to spare. They were conditioned for excessive movement and, in Gladio's case, fighting so tooth-and-nail. It was a mistake to think Ignis was frail, but he was not suited for battle.

Ironically enough.

His right hand was empty, save dirt clots. His fingers were slow to respond, but respond they did. He sat up and massaged his right hand with his left. The Sun was directly above them. It was musty and earthy down in this makeshift crevice. His Highness was... 

          "Highness?" Ignis stated, lowering his hands.

          There was a groan. "Present."

The advisor almost laughed. Instead, he turned towards his right and began standing, muttering "Thank the crystal..." Noctis stood up stiffly and brushed himself off. Ignis came to the royal's side. He placed a hand on the shorter male's shoulder, examining Noctis' external appearance. The prince dutifully dusted himself off, bending forward to do so.

          "How're you feeling?" Ignis pressed.

          "I've had better days," Noctis rumbled, sitting up with a bit of a bounce. He tilted his head back and looked up to Ignis. "What about you?"

          "Me? I'm—"

          "Let me look at you."

Noctis spoke as if the idea was a chore for him, but Ignis knew His Highness better than that by now. He didn't argue and opened his arms up when the prince motioned with a flick of his wrist. 

           _"'ey, Noct! Ig! You guys alright down there?!"_

Bless Gladio. At least he hadn't fallen into this mess with them.

          "All accounted for, Gladio! We'll figure a way out of here!" Ignis replied, head tilted up.

Noctis pulled open the advisor's jacket and stared at his sides, dusting off the blazer and closing it properly. Ignis couldn't hear the relieved sigh, but he heard the distant conversation above.

           _"They're alright, Prom."_

_"... god out there right now."_

He assumed Prompto was thankful too. He tilted his head down to Noctis as the prince took his steps back. Looks like he passed the inspection.

          "Any plan out of this?" His Highness asked, tipping his head up the sound of his friends' voices.

Ignis pushed up his glasses and turned around, observing his options. Well, the answer was thankfully the most obvious. The crevice opened up just ahead of them. He couldn't be sure that the land would hold them as they climbed, but it was their best bet. He expressed this much to Noctis, who nodded. The two made their way towards the opening.

          "Thanks for the grab," Noctis stated, gaze going skyward. 

          "Not a problem, Highness."

          "Though it meant you got pulled down here with me." The prince's attention returned to his surroundings as a dirt clod hit him in the shoulder.

          Ignis chuckled dryly, briefly. "I meant to pull you  _back_ , not down."

          "Well, A for effort."

          "Of course."

The ground felt much more stable as they went, but the crack in the world went further than they had expected. The walk would take a few more minutes than anticipated, which wasn't really a problem but still. Ignis speculated on the enemy's sheer power. If it was able to do  _this_ amount of damage and create such a ruinous reminder, what damage would it have done to the car back then? He lifted a hand to his chin and hummed softly. Noctis called for them to stop, and Ignis was mentally grabbed again. He turned towards the prince, watching as a boot was removed and emptied out. Ignis saw some stray cuts and wounds line Noctis' arm and hand.

          "We'll have to get those bandaged up," he reported, "but I've left the kit..." He trailed off, tipping his head up towards the sky.

          "I'll be alright til then. They're not bleeding." And Ignis swore he heard Noctis mutter, "much."

He sighed through his nose and crossed his arms, letting Noctis clear the debris from his footwear. They were surrounded by silence. Back the way they came, Prompto and Gladio's voices could be heard. Rocks and dirt clots fell from the weak walls. Noctis lost his balance and hit his shoulder against the earthen walls. More dirt loosened and fell upon him. Ignis tipped his head up and—

          _"Highness!"_

 

The ink bottle rolled back and forth across the desk. Fashionable shoes tapped across a tiled floor. The door opened, and a young male sat up. A well dressed advisor stepped past the threshold. Noctis sighed heavily and pushed up from the plush seat, a smile on his face.

_"Ignis. Hell. I'm glad it's you."_

_"Your Highness. I expected your father to be here."_

_"He got pulled away by someone."_

The prince rounded the desk and stared down at the reports in the advisor's hands. He looked up to Ignis. Their eyes met. Noctis looked back down to the documents and took them. Ignis opened his mouth to retort as Noctis browsed over the dossier's exterior. To his relief, the prince just turned around and headed back towards the desk.

           _"When could I expect him to return?"_

 _"Whenever,"_ Noctis replied unhelpfully, placing the file down. 

           _"... Excellent. I'll be sure to make a note of that."_

Noctis trailed his hand over the file, tempted to open it, at least from what Ignis could tell. He sighed inaudibly when the prince turned around and leaned against the desk.

           _"Your Highness, may I ask what you're doing here at this time of night?"_

 _"Killing time. Prompto's sleeping. Gladio's off doing.... who the hell knows...."_  

_"This is hardly the ideal place to be at two a.m."_

Noctis shrugged.  _"Well, sorry for being bored."_

          Ignis sighed deeply, voice firm. _"Your Highness, I–"_

_"Hey, are you busy right now?"_

_"..."_  The advisor pushed up his glasses.  _"Yes, I'm-"_

           _"Perfect."_ Noctis smirked and pushed away from the desk, stepping closer towards the advisor.  _"Let's sneak out."_

_"... Pardon?"_

_"Come on, seriously. It's either that or I try to wake up Prom."_

_"Not only will you be caught, but you'll have Gladio on night watch for the next week."_

_"He doesn't have to watch me,"_ Noctis defended, moving a hand to his hip, dropping the other.  _"But yeah."_

Before Ignis could say anything else, Noctis pulled his subject changing magic. He pointed at the advisor's robes.

           _"Probably shouldn't wear that. It's gonna get dirty."_

_"H-Highness. You-"_

_"And don't wear your fancy shoes,"_ the prince added with wiggling fingers as he rounded the older male.  _"Something more durable. Meet you in the back!"_

Ignis slowly turned and stared at the prince. The young royal tapped his fingers behind his back, moving lackadaisically down the hall. His boots echoed with each step. Ignis glanced over his shoulder towards the desk and the closed ink bottle tilted on its side. When he looked back, the boot echoing had stopped, and Noctis was gone.

 

There was a dry laugh, guising the worry lying underneath.

          "Still callin' me 'Highness', huh?"

          Ignis smiled weakly. "It always helps to be polite."

          "... Dumbass."

Noctis reached up and placed a hand on Ignis' shoulder. His free hand grasped the advisor's fallen glasses and clipped them through the front of his shirt. Ignis stared down at the prince with barely opened eyes. His back felt like it was on fire. Whatever dull pain he was experiencing earlier was inflamed and angry now. Ignis let out a soft noise, feeling the prince's hand weigh down his shoulder. They both stood up, more dirt rolled down Ignis' back.

          "You alright?" Noctis asked, carefully brushing the remaining dirt from the advisor.

          Ignis winced but kept his dignity. He sighed through his nose. "I believe I'm a bit tougher now."

          Noctis chuckled. "That right?"

The prince pulled his shirt out and cleaned the thin frames with the inside. There were some streaks still. Ignis surveyed the crumbled dirt around him. A large chunk of earth had fallen from its place in the wall. The advisor noticed that there was something sharp sticking out, but little did he know, there were several rocks embedded inside of it. He could see them now, almost clearly, scattered on the floor. His eyes closed suddenly at the sound of spitting. He groaned softly. Noctis was still cleaning his glasses.

          "Alright. Good as new."

The advisor turned and took his glasses, carefully slipping them on his face. 

          "My thanks."

          "Had enough of being a hero yet?" Noctis asked, coming to the advisor's side. He lifted up his forearm.

          Ignis glanced over and then smiled softly, tapping his forearm against the prince's. "I do believe I've had my fill. Let's return topside, shall we?"

          "Sounds like a plan."

 

           _"Wow, gotta admit: I didn't expect you to be here."_

_"And why is that?"_

Noctis gave Ignis an examining look. The bespectacled advisor was incapable of dressing 'casually' it seemed. While he wore more matte colours (and appropriately, in black), he still looked like a model. It was amazing he didn't attract any attention. Noctis quickly took note of the advisor's shoes. Ignis was wearing boots. They seemed sturdy enough.

           _"I dunno. You seemed pretty fixated on being responsible at two in the morning."_

_"Well, we all have to be responsible at some point."_

_"Not tonight we don't."_

Noctis pushed away from the wall and motioned for Ignis to follow after him.

           _"C'mon. We're gonna do some climbing."_

Ignis sighed and pulled on the edge of his gloves.  _"At your lead, Highness."_

Ignis followed after the prince, wondering just how often he snuck out like this. Well, he and Prompto were as thick as thieves, so it was no surprise that the younger male was prone to behaviour like this. Noctis had a bad habit of posing strange ideas, and Prompto had a nasty habit of enabling him. Noctis disappeared out of view and was dangling by his left hand a few seconds later. Ignis slowed his run to a jog before finally coming to a stop. He turned back and stared at where they had come. The castle was still within view, but they had cleared the gate by now. At the sharp  _Psst!_ , Ignis tilted up his head and saw Noctis  _hanging upside down_. The prince wiggled his hands impatiently.

           _"... No..."_

_"I can hold you, at least for a little bit. Now, come on."_

_"Highness."_

_"Chastise me later. 'mere."_ Noctis punctuated this statement with another wiggle of his hands.

Ignis shook his head and walked closer, carefully stepping onto the rocks to gain higher ground. The advisor took a deep breath and jumped up. His hands clasped with Noctis'. He groaned slightly as he pulled himself up more, body jerking as he adjusted his placement. The two struggled for a moment as Ignis climbed up. It was a solid five minutes before they both finally climbed up onto the mesa. Noctis' thick spear disappeared from the side once the prince collapsed onto his back. The two males fought to catch their breaths.  _"Amazing,"_ Ignis muttered, pushing up his glasses. Noctis smirked and tilted his head towards his companion. As he sat up, Ignis stared up at the sky.

           _"... It's beautiful."_

_"Yeah, it's kinda nice."_

They stared up at the clear skies. The clouds were left behind over the castle, and Ignis wasn't sure if they would be coming this way or if they had already left. It didn't really matter. Right now, the sight above them was breathtaking. It was almost as if they were close to the stars. Ignis moved his hands into his lap. Noctis leaned back and braced his weight.

           _"Prompto's seen it. Gladio's seen it."_ The prince turned his head towards Ignis, shifting a shoulder.  _"I figured you needed to too."_

_"This is quite a sight."_

_"I know."_ Noctis stared up at the sky again.  _"I only want to look at it with my friends."_

Ignis paused before smiling slowly to himself. He nodded his head.

           _"Your most_ trusted _friends, I hope."_

Noctis smiled as well, letting out a long breath in lieu of a laugh.  _"Of course!"_

          Ignis reached over and clapped a hand on Noctis' back.  _"Of course."_

 

          "Ho-ly- _shit_ ," Prompto sighed when the two finally resurfaced. 

Ignis and Noctis carefully navigated around the crevice they escaped from. They jogged up to their friends. "Happy" was not quite the word for what they felt. "Relieved" felt lacking too. Ignis tried to keep his posture prim and solid as always, but he ached. And was tired. He pulled off his blazer and turned away, snapping the garment to free it from any debris and dirt. The action hurt his shoulders, causing him to groan. Again, he felt hands on his body. Again, it was Noctis.

          "Guess you're not driving any time soon."

          "Thankfully, Prom's takin' us to the city," said Gladio.

Prompto looked from Noctis to Gladiolus before posing, smiling with a thumbs up. Ignis nodded his head and carefully folded his blazer over his arm. The prince kneaded over the advisor's back. It was too quick to be fully satisfying, but Ignis took his relief as it was given. He grunted and stumbled forward when Noctis slapped him on the back. He turned around, staring down at the prince's sharpened gaze.

          "That's for putting yourself out.  _Twice_."

          Ignis smiled a bit, shrugging up his shoulders slightly. "I suppose I deserved that."

          "Chew you out later. Let's blow this joint."

          "You said it," Gladio groaned.

Prompto rubbed his hands together and hopped back behind the wheel. He started the engine, and the others climbed in. At Gladio's beckoning, Ignis sat with his back facing his companion, silently enjoying his massage.

          "Alright, alright. What happened that you're all wound up like this."

          " _Someone_ tried to be a hero," Noctis started, turning back to face Ignis. _  
_

The advisor lifted his head and smiled slightly. Unable to deny the prince's accusation, Ignis tilted his head a bit and responded rather calmly with:

          "Guilty as charged."


	6. The Men, The Team, The System

Getting to the next city was nothing short of a blessing. Prompto pulled up the car into an inn and activated the hard top. Gladio reached over and squeezed the blond's shoulder. He complimented Prompto on his driving. Ignis did the same as he affixed his glasses to his face again. The driver grinned and made his dramatic 'thank you'. All four exited the vehicle.

The city they entered was very steady. There wasn't a lot of hustle and bustle, but it still felt alive. Ignis placed his hands on his hips, taking in their surroundings. Gladio did the same, arms crossing over his torso. The prince and gunner both ran up the stairs to the inn, talking to each other about the previous fight. They stopped at the top of the stairs, hands placed on the door.

          "Quit daydreaming you two." Noctis.

          "Yeah, let's go already!" Prompto.

Ignis tipped his head up to Gladio, who glanced down at him.

          "Should we?" Ignis asked.

          "I dunno. I say we make 'em wait a bit."

Noctis turned to Prompto.

          "Should we ditch 'em?"

          "Hmmmm. I dunno... Give 'em a second."

The prince stared at his blond companion.

          "One," he stated and then pushed open the door.

Prompto smiled and didn't retort. He followed after his prince, and not too long after, Ignis and Gladio came with them. The four booked a room, and Ignis politely asked where the laundry was done.

          "Clean clothes! Real beds! This has to be a dream." Prompto sighed. In his peripheral, he saw movement and jumped out of the way of reaching hands. "Don't pinch me!"

          "Aw, shucks," Noctis drawled. Gladio chuckled beside him.

Ignis pulled his blazer closer to his body and coolly walked past his friends.

          "If you'll follow me."

          "Sir, yes, sir," Gladio joked.

          "Right behind ya."

          "Wait for me!"

Laundry and a long train of baths later, the weary quartet passed out on the beds. (Well, Gladio found his comfort on the floor.) By the time the four woke up, it was dusk. They lingered around the inn before they split up to go about their own activities. Ignis took the car to the local shop where Cindy and her "Pawpaw" happened to be passing through. Errands? Some trade-related business? He couldn't remember as Cindy overloaded him with drawling happiness and jargon-laden words. Gladio and Noctis wandered about, taking a long walk up the strip. Prompto promised to keep out of trouble, and that was as much as he revealed of his plans.

They met up again some hours later, had dinner, and perused the city for something to do. By the time they hit the beds again (with Gladio actually  _on_ _one_ ), it was just past midnight. Understandably enough, considering their days lately, the quartet was more tired than they had ever been.

By morning, they bathed again, relishing in the facility's utilities and headed off to a diner for a hearty breakfast. Coffee, juice, and hot cider were placed down on the table as well as some cut up fruit. Ignis took his time reading the menu. Noctis found what he wanted five minutes in and stared idly out the window. Gladio bounced back and forth between three different food options. And Prompto. Well, he sat with the menu closed under his hand. He drummed his fingers excitedly, knowing the answer to the 'trivia of the month'. They were going to get that 10% off.

The waitress swung by, and Ignis, by popular vote, was elected to go first. Ignis offered for Noctis to go ahead of him but was easily dismissed with a grunt and a flick of the prince's hand. The advisor retold his order, slowly closing the menu as he did. Noctis lifted up his head and recited his order in a single breath of air. The two handed over their menus. Noctis reached over for an apple slice.

          "And for you, sir?" the waitress asked Gladiolus, who elbowed Prompto.

          "You go."

          "No, no," Prompto insisted, adding a little bounce. "You go."

          "Fine, uh..." He rubbed his face and put his hands down, finally settling on something.

The waitress smiled and took note, commending him on his choice. That made the heavy fighter feel much better. Prompto let out a breath through his nose and steadied himself. He was a little excited - but formalities first. He stated his order, smile broadening as he did. He closed his eyes, collected himself, and looked sullen, handing over his menu.

          "If something happens to me, give my food to my friends." He motioned to the others, who looked at him in confusion. He kept his attention on the waitress, ignoring them. "And say these words."

He motioned for the waitress to lean down, and she did. Prompto moved closer towards her, his voice lowered.

          "Klaatu barada nikto."

The waitress laughed and tucked her notepad into her apron. She clapped her hands and laughed, nodding her head.

          "Alright, alright. You earned that ten percent." She placed a hand on her hip. "Not a lot of people remember the right words, let alone give such a performance."

          "I know my random trivia," Prompto replied proudly, straightening his posture with a shimmy of his shoulders.

Ignis shrugged up a shoulder and took a sip of his coffee. Gladio shook his head slowly, reading over the specials menu left in the table rack. Noctis stared at his friend with furrowed brows, only speaking when the waitress left.

          "The hell...?"

          Prompto laughed and cupped his juice between his hands. "What?"

          "Where'd you learn that?"

          "Hey, I know things."

          "I think he means  _why_ do you know that," Gladio corrected.

          "Hey, I watch things!"

Noctis muttered something against his glass, turning his head towards the window. Prompto frowned and whined out a soft "Hey". Ignis laughed behind his hand. They fell into a brief silence until their food came, and then they enthused about the meal. They waited for the waitress to refill their glasses and expressed their thanks before lifting up their drinks. 

          "To getting here in one piece," Gladio started.

          "To me for being an awesome driver," Prompto boasted.

          Ignis nodded his head, smiling a bit. "I agree."

          "H-hey now..." Prompto flustered and lowered his glass slightly, looking away.

          "To the food you're keeping me from eating," Noctis joked, leaning his elbow on the table.

          The advisor chuckled. "To us."

          "To us," the others repeated.

They knocked their drinks together, took their sips, and focused on their food. Their booth was filled with contented sighs and muffled words. Ignis grabbed the waitress' attention as she passed by. He cleared his throat at her playfully calling him "sugar" and apologised for the inconvenience. Noctis let out a low "oooh". Gladio and Prompto followed. The advisor dabbed his mouth and countered with a charming deadpan. Noctis covered his face in embarrassment. Gladiolus chortled, slapping a hand down on the table.

          "I forgot all about that!" he howled.

          "Ignis, no...." the prince groaned, curling up against the window.

Ignis reached over and pat the royal's shoulder, chuckling out an apology. They piled their dishes together, chatting together as time slowly ticked away. Prompto chuckled and cupped his glass between his hands, looking around at the other patrons in the diner. His gaze passed over the TV, taking it in for a moment. Just as he was about to turn away, the broadcast held his attention. The smile slipped from his face.

          "Uh, guys..."

The others lifted their head, looking to him before focusing on the TV as well. Their booth fell quiet as they listened to the news. Noctis' brows furrowed.

          "But that's..."

          "The crown city," Ignis affirmed gravelly.

          - " _Crowned prince Noctis Lucis Caelum has also been suspected to be one of the deceased. Word has it that..._ " -

          "What... happened?" Noctis stammered, voice failing him.

          Ignis focused on the prince beside him. "Highness..."

          "We have to go back. We have to find out what hap—"

          - "...  _King has released a posthumous statement, addressed to his late son._ " -

The small group listened closely to the message. Something in Noctis' chest tightened. Whether it was rage, upset, or something else, he couldn't say. Words of all sort failed him. His thoughts swam and quieted at unpredictable intervals. No one said anything to comfort him. They just watched the news.

          - " _More on this story as it develops. In local news..._ " -

Everyone stared down at their hands. Gladio took a drink from his coffee. Ignis rested his chin on the back of his hand, thoughts going backwards.

          "So what's the plan, Noct?" Prompto spoke, his voice low and careful.

Ignis and Gladio's eyes went to him before focusing on the prince. The blond brushed his fingers over each other, keeping his gaze set on Noctis.

          "We're here to help..."

The quiet two made noises of agreement, sitting up a bit. Noctis curled his hands into fists before relaxing them again. He stared up at the three, accessing them all. His minded quieted again. The deafening mental silence filled him almost painfully. He pulled himself together and found the words he needed.

          "We're going back to the city," he stated, very resolute in his decision. "We're going to get some damn answers."

          "I hear that," Gladio agreed, smile broadening.

          "We're here for you," Ignis added.

          "Through thick and thin!" Prompto placed his hands behind his head and relaxed.

Noctis smiled and nodded his head. Ignis deposited gil onto the table, adding a tip. The four stood up and exited the diner. Noctis stopped at the top of the stairs, staring out at the horizon.

          "Alright, boys."

The three stopped and looked up at him. Prompto took a couple of steps back. Ignis shifted his weight onto his right leg. Gladiolus crossed his arms, tipping his head to the left. Noctis reached his hand up, Sun blocked against his palm. He curled his fist around it.

          "Let's go for a ride."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support. I really hope you enjoyed this experimental story. This went on for a bit longer than I expected. There are some details that I didn't end up adding, but I think it worked out a lot this way. I have a great deal of speculations about their characters. Maybe I'll go in depth if I end up writing something else.
> 
> Feedback is always welcomed — and thank you for reading.


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